Gilgalad is an Elvenking
by Erwen Brogiel
Summary: An elvish drinking game which consists of singing about how everyone, from Celebrimbor to Elbereth, is in love with Gil-galad. Yes, it's weird.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: As I said, this is really weird. It might make slightly more sense if you've read _Daybreak in Valinor_, but only slightly.

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><p>Gil-galad was beautiful even by elf-standards, and many of the maidens in Lindon were in love with him, but he never married. For this reason it became a popular Elvish drinking game to sing about how all the prominent personalities of the time as well as the heroes of old and the Valar themselves were hopelessly in love with Gil-galad. After the death of Gil-galad, this custom died out; it was considered bad taste, especially the verse about Celebrimbor. However, it was later revived on Tol Eressëa.<p>

The first two verses were always the same. After that everyone took turns to sing, and those who could not come up with a verse had to drink. The verses were originally improvised, but it was not against the rules to use verses someone else had invented. Indeed, some of the verses became classics and were sung almost every time the game was played.

If you think this sounds implausibly hard, you must remember that elves do not get drunk easily, so they need harder drinking games. Also keep in mind that they have excellent memories. I would not recommend humans to play this. However, if for some reason you do end up playing this, don't make up a verse about Eru Ilúvatar, because the rules state that then you have to drink the entire bottle.

These are all the verses I've heard (well, all the verses I've heard and remembered), but there are probably many I haven't heard. There was a certain tendency for the verses to become more... imperfect as the night went on, so don't expect all of these to be flawless.

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><p>Gil-galad is an elven-king<br>of whom the harpers gladly sing.  
>All maidens seek to be his wife<br>but he prefers a lonely life.

He breaks the hearts of men and elves;  
>they look at him and lose themselves<br>deep in his fiercely shining eyes,  
>but none can melt his heart of ice.<p>

The blue eyes of the Lord of Breath  
>no longer look at Elbereth;<br>on Gil-galad alone they gaze  
>enchanted by his wondrous face.<p>

Two wives the High King Finwë had,  
>but now they both want Gil-galad;<br>fair Indis and proud Míriel  
>to Finwë king have said farewell.<p>

Turgon, whose wife was lost at sea,  
>he would no longer grieving be<br>if he could see Ereinion;  
>then soon his past love would be gone!<p>

If Húrin on Thangorodrim  
>faced Gil-galad, he'd yield to him;<br>against the Dark he could persist,  
>but Gil-galad he can't resist.<p>

Pale Estë can no longer rest  
>until her love she has expressed.<br>"Sweet Gil-galad," she says, "be mine!  
>For you I long, for you I pine!"<p>

Celebrimbor forged a ring  
>and gave it to the elven-king.<br>As surely as stars shine above:  
>to give a ring is sign of love!<p>

Many secrets Ulmo keeps  
>in his mansion in the deeps,<br>but the greatest of them is  
>that Gil-galad he wants to kiss.<p>

Morgoth cries outside the world,  
>wailing without being heard;<br>Gil-galad's enchanting charm  
>makes him wish he'd done no harm.<p>

In Lórien does Irmo weep  
>and finds no comfort in his sleep;<br>no dream of Gil-galad can be  
>as lovely as reality.<p>

And in the somber halls of doom  
>Námo's heart is filled with gloom.<br>He suspects he's going mad  
>out of love for Gil-galad.<p>

Vairë's crying as she weaves  
>and we all know why she grieves;<br>though she hides it, we can tell  
>she loves Gil-galad as well.<p>

And Tilion no longer tries  
>to catch the sun, for now his eyes<br>and fixed on Gil-galad the fair;  
>moonbeams he sends to stroke his hair.<p>

The second son of Fëanor,  
>who wandered sadly by the shore,<br>threw one glance at the elven-king;  
>of love he then began to sing.<p>

Why, even Fëanor himself  
>is charmed by this enchanting elf;<br>a Silmaril he'd gladly give  
>if he with Gil-galad could live.<p>

Tulkas used to laugh all day  
>but now he's filled with great dismay.<br>After all the fights he's won  
>he lost his heart to Ereinion.<p>

Beren fell for Lúthien  
>when he saw her in the glen.<br>If he'd seen Gil-galad instead,  
>then Lúthien would not be dead.<p>

Uinen, lady of the seas,  
>can no longer be at peace;<br>her white arms, her flowing hair  
>can't the elven-king ensnare.<p>

Amarië, she waited long,  
>but now she's tired of being strong:<br>"Finrod, try not to be too sad;  
>I'm leaving you for Gil-galad!"<p>

"Never once was given birth,"  
>says Yavanna, queen of earth,<br>"to a beauty equal to  
>Gil-galad - I swear it's true!"<p>

Nor did Aulë ever wring  
>- he admits it - anything<br>that could match Gil-galad's grace  
>and the splendour of his face.<p>

Eärendil, who sails the sky,  
>saw Gil-galad, and had to cry;<br>for he was bound to sail above  
>and could not meet his newfound love.<p>

Even the wise Galadriel,  
>though married, fell under his spell.<br>With Celeborn this caused no strife:  
>he was as smitten as his wife!<p>

The faithful Morwen Eledhwen,  
>the fairest daughter born to Men,<br>less faithful would perhaps have been  
>if Gil-galad she once had seen.<p>

Elrond could choose for himself  
>whether to be man or elf -<br>but as a man, he could not be  
>with Gil-galad eternally.<p>

Now Fingolfin and Finarfin  
>are fighting, for they wish to win<br>the heart of our Ereinion;  
>they both love him, but he loves none.<p>

Arien was once her name,  
>the sun-maid clad in living flame,<br>but the name she wishes she had  
>is that of 'wife of Gil-galad'.<p>

Thingol, who heard the nightingales  
>of Melian, would say she pales<br>besides the beauty of the king:  
>of him the nightingales should sing!<p>

Never did Oromë catch  
>any being that could match<br>Gil-galad in loveliness  
>and this causes him distress.<p>

Yes, even Varda Everwhite  
>says Gil-galad shines twice as bright<br>as any star forged by her hand;  
>such beauty she cannot withstand.<p>

If Lúthien had seen hís face  
>she would not seek a man's embrace.<br>And Idril, too, would change her choice  
>if she had heard Gil-galad's voice.<p>

Tears always filled Nienna's eyes,  
>but now it's for herself she cries,<br>for Gil-galad she wants to wed,  
>but he prefers his lonely bed.<p>

Turambar Húrinion  
>Agarwaen Úmarthion<br>Mormegil Adanedhel  
>Túrin would love the king as well.<p>

Sweet Vána in her gardens fair  
>is filled with sorrow and despair;<br>she wants Gil-galad for herself,  
>but she can't charm that stubborn elf.<p>

Ossë rages in the sea  
>- and what can the reason be?<br>Why, it's love for Gil-galad  
>that has made him go so mad.<p>

Upon the grass of Valinor  
>the feet of Nessa dance no more.<br>She too has fallen for the king  
>and no more joy does dancing bring.<p>

Both Celegorm and Curufin  
>and Amrod and his fated twin,<br>and Maedhros and Caranthir, too -  
>all want Ereinion for their beau.<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

**Update: **I originally replied to all reviewers with a verse about themselves. However, I could not do that for the mysterious Silent One, who reviewed anonymously. This disturbs my sense of symmetry... and that's terrible. The solution? Posting my responses here, of course!

Crackers would be filled with joy  
>if she found a plushy toy<br>of that lovely Elven lad  
>whose fair name is Gil-galad.<p>

A certain Random Hummingbird,  
>though living in another world,<br>on Gil-galad has got a crush -  
>don't mention it, or she will blush.<p>

I suspect Galad Estel  
>loves the Elven-king as well.<br>Half her name is half of his -  
>that is proof, I'm sure it is.<p>

Duilin may laugh at my wit,  
>but what she does not admit<br>is that fair Ereinion  
>is her most beloved one.<p>

Silent One keeps her tongue still  
>not out of poor language skill,<br>but because it would betray  
>Ereinion stole her heart away.<p>

I think that chisscientist  
>secretly wants to be kissed<br>by a certain Elven-king  
>of whom all the harpers sing.<p>

Earilinde night and day  
>dreams of finding out a way<br>to bring Gil-galad to life  
>so that she can be his wife.<p>

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><p><strong>Update 2: <strong>More reviews, yay! Also, Silent One, you have nothing to apologize for. So stop apologizing. Otherwise I will start apologizing for making you feel like you should apologize when there was nothing to apologize for and now apologize doesn't look like a word anymore.

Why these verses do not bore  
>Lia Whyteleafe, I am sure,<br>is because her heart belongs  
>to the subject of these songs.<p>

LiveLaughLoveListenMusic could  
>be shorter-named - but no, that would<br>make it too easy for me to  
>reveal she loves Gil-galad too.<p>

A typo Mornen pointed out  
>but what she wouldn't talk about<br>is that her soul and body crave  
>Ereinion the fair and brave.<p>

Finch sure seemed to like my song;  
>why, she even sang along.<br>That is all the proof I need:  
>her heart for Gil-galad does bleed.<p>

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><p><strong>Update 3: <strong>Someone played this!

The Twins from Mordor, don't despair;  
>your brother wasn't playing fair.<br>He'd already been working on  
>love poems for Ereinion.<p>

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><p><strong>Update 4: <strong>Sorry, Eryn, I'm not planning to update this with more verses, except the ones I write about reviewers, of course.

Eryn thinks that I should add  
>more verses of Gil-galad.<br>I think her request reveals  
>pretty clearly what she feels.<p>

Cassia Sidra, I believe,  
>would her dear Marcello leave<br>if she heard Gil-galad planned  
>to ask for her dainty hand.<p>

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><p><strong>Update 5: <strong>Of course you get a verse, A-Nony-Mouse.

A-Nony-Mouse won't give her name.  
>I can't think why. It is no shame<br>to openly admit that you  
>adore Ereinion - we all do!<p>

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><p><strong>Update 6: <strong>Yeah, it's been a while.

Tolkien at twenty-one  
>proposed to his beloved one.<br>Tsarina means to do the same -  
>in the form of a drinking game.<p>

By now all know that to review  
>means I will write a verse for you.<br>So, by reviewing, RandomCelt  
>clearly admitted what she felt.<p>

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><p><strong>Update 7: <strong>See, this time it didn't take me months to notice the new review. Progress!

Now if my poem brought a tear  
>to Madeline's eye, it is clear<br>the subject must be dear to her -  
>she loves Ereinion, I infer.<p>

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><p><strong>Update 8: <strong>I'm afraid I can't make any exceptions, LadyErestor83. All reviewers get verses. (Possible future reviewers, take note of this. Don't review if you don't want me to reveal your undying love for Gil-galad. You may think you'll get away because I haven't been active lately, but eventually I'll show up again and write a silly verse about you. You have been warned.)

LadyErestor 83,  
>showing refreshing honesty,<br>admits that brave Ereinion  
>is whom her heart is set upon.<p>

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><p><strong>Update 9: <strong>Wow, more reviews?

Softballgirl can try to claim  
>that Nelyo's her beloved's name -<br>but you know as well as I  
>that this is but a bold-faced lie.<p>

I am sure Greymantleish  
>harbours in her heart a wish<br>to become Ereinion's wife  
>and to share with him her life.<p>

Archet tells the king to flee  
>not out of selfless sympathy,<br>but 'cause she loves the elf-king fair  
>and simply doesn't want to share.<p>

Silfangirl may well love me  
>(and, it seems, the Caps Lock key),<br>but I know one she loves more:  
>Gil-galad, that king of yore.<p> 


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